Secrecy and Security News

May 2013

Leak Inquiries Show How Wide a Net U.S. Cast by Ethan Bronner, Charlie Savage and Scott Shane, New York Times, May 25. "The emerging details of these and other cases show just how wide a net the Obama administration has cast in its investigations into disclosures of government secrets, querying hundreds of officials across the federal government and even some of their foreign counterparts."

How the U.S. Government Hacks the World by Michael Riley, Bloomberg Businessweek, May 23. "The key role NSA hackers play in intelligence gathering makes it difficult for Washington to pressure other nations--China in particular--to stop hacking U.S. companies to mine their databanks for product details and trade secrets."

Why leaks controversy could linger by Josh Gerstein, Politico, May 23. "Any issue that has both conservatives and liberals lining up with exactly the same question -- did the Obama administration go too far in its zeal to plug the leaks? -- is one that could stay on the scene for a long time to come, especially with so many questions still unanswered."

DOJ Seizure Of AP Call Logs Unusual In Its Broad Scope by Melissa Block, NPR All Things Considered, May 14. "A recent federal seizure of two months of phone records for Associated Press reporters and editors highlights the aggressive approach the Obama administration has taken to investigating leaks. Melissa Block speaks with Steven Aftergood, who monitors government secrecy as a senior research analyst for the Federation of American Scientists, about how the Obama administration stands out for its rigorous pursuit of leaks."

AP Responds to Latest DoJ Letter, May 14. "We appreciate the DOJ's prompt response, but it does not adequately address our concerns. The letter simply restates the law and claims that officials have complied with it."

Letter to Associated Press from Deputy Attorney General James Cole, May 14. "As you know, Department policy provides that we should issue subpoenas for phone records associated with media organizations only in certain circumstances. There should be reasonable grounds to believe that a federal crime has been committed and that the information sought by the subpoena is essential to a successful investigation."

Holder Defends Subpoena Of Journalists' Phone Logs by Scott Neuman, NPR, May 14. "Attorney General Eric Holder has defended the Justice Department's actions in as part of a probe into leaks of classified material, but said he himself had nothing to do with the subpoena."

AP calls government's record seizure a 'massive and unprecedented intrusion' by Michael Isikoff, MSNBC, May 13. "The Justice Department used a secret subpoena to obtain two months of phone records for Associated Press reporters and editors without notifying the news organization, a senior department official tells NBC News, saying the step was necessary to avoid 'a substantial threat to the integrity' of an ongoing leak investigation."

AP Letter to AG Eric Holder, May 13. "I am writing to object in the strongest possible terms to a massive and
unprecedented intrusion by the Department of Justice into the newsgathering activities of The Associated Press."

Why is Obama withholding secret torture report from Americans? by Marcy Wheeler, Salon, May 6. "Much of what you've been told about George W. Bush's supposedly effective torture program is false and overhyped. At least, that's one of the conclusions of the 6,000-page review of the program the Senate Intelligence Committee completed last year. Yet, right now, President Obama is preventing you from learning any of this, by keeping the report classified."

China Cyberspies Outwit U.S. Stealing Military Secrets, May 1. "QinetiQ's espionage expertise didn't keep Chinese cyber-spies from outwitting the company. In a three-year operation, hackers linked to China's military infiltrated QinetiQ's computers and compromised most if not all of the company's research."